Meet Rita Di Ghent

Rita Di Ghent is a song-writer and jazz vocalist. Her journey to become the renowned musician she is today, is testament to the power of music and the message music Can Heal strives to express.

During the recording of her first album, Rita was diagnosed with a mysterious illness that saw her fall in a coma on life support. Though she miraculously woke up out of it, Rita was in a vegetative state and was in rehab for two years.

In an interview with Jaymz Bee on JazzFM during the summer of 2016, Rita described her emotional state as being “so ravaged and so depressed” that she could not even enjoy music. However, she accounted a moment when her brother played music for her – the beginning of her re-emergence as a musician.

“As [my brother] was playing suddenly tears came out of my eyes and it completely engrossed me,” said Rita. “That was the first time I had enjoyed music in a very long time and from then on it was a matter of building my career back up and my voice back up. “

Intertwining original tunes with standards that are equal parts sassy, euphoric, astute and emotional, Rita’s music has garnered her quite the renown worldwide. The singer-songwriter now lends her talent and knowledge to the faculty of music at York University.

What has made Rita di Ghent special, aside from her music, is her ability to forge a deep connection with the patients she performs for due to her own near death experience. Music Can Heal is thus proud to have Rita as part of the family, and she is available to perform bedside and in atriums.

Hear her touching interview here: https://soundcloud.com/ritadighent/rita-on-jaymz-bjazzfm2016